General Introduction
I am a lecturer in Graphic Design and Illustration at
The University of Northampton where I teach printmaking
and bookmaking as part of both courses. I came in to
Graphics and Illustration as a mature student and have
taught at the university for five years. My background
before this was rich and varied!
The life experiences I gained have been an enormous
source of inspiration and knowledge. The people I
met along the way have influenced the direction my
work has taken up to now.
My own work often takes inspiration from personal
memories and experiences, not only my own but of
others too. I have a passion for printmaking, collections
of ephemera, drawing and painting. Through my own
projects I have experimented with many methods of
printmaking. The final piece often involves bookmaking
and photography brought in to printmaking.
More recently I have begun to go back to my childhood
and the way I drew then, incorporating these pen and
ink drawings in to collaged backgrounds. I try to use a
book format that enhances the narrative and journey in
some way. The book, as a format, is often used purely as
a vehicle to tell the story. I am now beginning to look at
how narratives change through the medium used and
how the story unfolds as a result.
Email Louise at louise.bird@northampton.ac.uk
Exhibited books/work
2007
September 2007 – exhibited ‘Collaborative Cubes’
(2007) and collaborative ‘ABC Catalogue’ (2007),
with Melanie Bush & Louise Bird at 2nd
Manchester Artists' Books Fair.
Stand showing assorted books by 'we love your books' members.
May/June 2007 - exhibited at and co-curated ABC exhibition,
The University of Northampton (toured to Herefordshire
College of Art & Design August/September 2007).
'ABC' (2007) & 'Miss Communication' (2007)
2006
Co-author of Random Journey/Full Circle catalogue in
UWE bookarts archive.
Summer 2006 - exhibited work in Noosa Regional Gallery,
Queensland, Australia.
Autumn 2006 - work published in USA bookarts journal 'Bound
and Lettered'.
September 2006 - exhibited at First Manchester Book Arts Fair.
Stand showing assorted books by 'we love your books' members.
May 2006 – exhibited at and co-curated ‘Full Circle/Random Journey’ exhibition at The University of Northampton, UK.
Close-ups from ‘Random Journey’ book
The three images above are from my book '3Buttons'
which was exhibited in ‘Full Circle/ Random Journey’
The two images above are from a 'brush' book
which was exhibited in ‘Full Circle/ Random Journey’
An image from the book 'Joan and Robert' using
photo-collagraphs and exhibited in ‘Full Circle/
Random Journey’
2005
May 2005 – exhibited work in ‘Meeting in the Middle’
exhibition, University College Northampton, UK.
From 'Be My Valentine' book - about my grandmother,
blood grandfather and father.